Why Do Bombs Blow Up?
by Kelly Mullins
Summary: Sometimes you don't need an explosives expert.
1. Teaser Market Street

Title: Why Do Bombs Blow Up?

Author: Kelly Mullins

E-mail: Mullins. Adult

Keywords: SSR, AU, little bit of language, mucho fluff

Archive: Please

Summary: Sometimes you don't need an explosives expert.

Disclaimer: On the first day of X-mas Chris Carter gave to me...a big fat laaaw suit...ON the second day of X-mas Fox and 1013 gave to me...No Surly A.D...and a big fat laaaw suit...

Authors notes: I rather enjoy comments on my stories, good or bad so please send them. I started this in the beginning of 1999, and have now finished it in March of 2006. Woah.

Thank You: Everyone!! Especially those who helped me with 80's!Skinner and flight times, I really am a blonde...I need help some times.

Why Do Bombs Blow Up?

Kelly Mullins

Market Street

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

December 28, 1999

"I'll be right back honey, keep the doors locked until I get back." Annemarie Martin closed the driver's side door of the Crown Victoria she had purchased over a year ago on an impulse, and disappeared into the looming bank as her 9 year-old daughter, Adia, sat back in her seat eager for her mother's return. Adia had forgotten her lunch and her math book that morning because she had been up all night thinking about how much she longed to be at home with the rest of her friends instead of on her way home from her stupid school; the only thing she did have with her that morning was the story her class was reading, and she couldn't wait to read more. The young girl pulled open her backpack and fished around for the story that would calm her thoughts and her stomach until her mother returned.

The rumbling was the first thing Adia noticed, she attributed that to the traffic racing past her on Market Street, moments later a sea of red, orange, and yellow engulfed the car and Adia's vision faded to nothingness.


	2. Chance Meeting

City of Hope National Medical Centre

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

December 29, 1999

6:30pm

"Skinner?" Special Agent Dana Scully had just spent 7 hours on USAir flight 86 from San Diego, leaving her family behind for the third year in a row.

"Scully, sorry to have to call you in while you're supposed to be on your holiday vacation but I couldn't find Agent Mulder and I was ordered to bring an Agent up here with me. This is a big case Scully, they've called in everybody, local or not, Mulder's gonna get it when I see him again." Skinner stopped short when he noticed her unscullyistic attire; she wore a shirt that boldly stated- #1 Aunt Matthew and Cranston. Skinner smiled sadly, realizing for the first time that she had left her family, even though it had only been a request for her to accompany him on this case.

Scully noticed his concentration on her shirt and felt oddly underdressed. "I'm sorry for my attire sir, this morning when I got dressed I was going to take my nephews to the park and Mattie insisted that I wear the shirt they had gotten me, I didn't have time to change."

"It's fine Scully, I didn't expect you to come off your vacation completely up to bureau standards."

"So where do we go first?"

"You go down to the morgue; they're having a hell of a lot of trouble identifying the remains of the victims. I'll go find the SAC now and get briefed on this whole situation." Skinner stalked away determinedly, Scully let her breath out in a huff and headed for the elevator pressing the down button.

Two hours later Scully had been able to successfully identify 3 bodies from the abundance of records the hospital had been able to offer the pathology staff. She had just gotten settled in on her last body before she was going to go up and search for Skinner. "The victim is a presumably Asian female, remains will have to be identified by dental records as a visual identification will be impossible." She stopped the recorder and pulled the gurney with the charred corpse toward x-ray for dental films.

One hour later Scully had a positive identification of a Annemarie Martin, 40 years old, 5 feet 2 inches, 110 lbs., Chinese mother and American father. Scully smiled at the last bit of information she had picked up on the woman, she knew she wasn't losing her med. school touch.

Scully departed the morgue and turned toward the elevator to see a small form huddled in the corner near the sign for the autopsy bays.

"Hello, my name's Dana." She said, smiling as the small child uncoiled herself and stood to reveal a strikingly tall young girl, with a bandage around her right arm and scrapes all over her visible limbs.

"My name is Adia; you're a doctor, right?"

"Yes but I don't work at this hospital. Adia, do you know where your parents are?"

"My mother is in there, she's dead, my grandparents died a couple of years ago and all of my other family lives in China." Scully took a closer look at the girl, she could barley see her in the dim night light of the hallway but upon closer examination she could see the almond eyes and jaw line that Adia had inherited.

"What is your mother's name?"

"Annemarie Martin." Scully's suspicions were confirmed and she suddenly felt very sorry for the girl standing before her.

"Will you come back upstairs with me? I'm sure someone's looking for you by now."

"Okay, do you know where they'll take me to live?"

"No, I'm sorry Adia I really don't. You will probably end up staying in the hospital for a couple of nights for your arm and any other wounds you sustained during the explosion." They rode up in the elevator in silence and emerged in a bustle of commotion, people going in every direction. "What's going on here?" Scully stopped a fellow FBI agent on his way somewhere.

"It's been like this for a couple of hours now, ever since they brought in the next load of bodies for ID. They've stopped sending them downstairs, they're doing them right here in the emergency ward." He barley finished his sentence before rushing off joining the sea of people.

"There are so many people here!" Adia remarked from her side, reminding her of her mission to find somebody who knew where this child was supposed to be. The two arrived at the admitting desk where Scully explained the entire situation to the best of her ability and they pointed her in the direction of the room Adia had abandoned in her search of the morgue.

"Adia, stay here, I'll be back soon, try to sleep if you can. I know it's hard but it really is the best thing you can do for yourself right now." Scully helped her get adjusted in the bed and left, closing the door in hope that it might block some of the outside noise.


	3. The Situation

Scully searched for almost a half an hour before she discovered Skinner looking surly and ordering the remaining non-medical personnel around.

"Skinner." She came up to him and he gave up trying to assign duties to the remaining few people standing around, many people walked happily away smiling at Scully for the great service she done for them.

"Yes Scully, what do you need?"

"I'm going to stay here, there's a child without any family and I'm going to wait with her until social services can take her somewhere."

"Okay, I was about to go on to the field office on Arch Street. I should be there for about an hour and then I'm going to go to the hotel for the night. I don't know what room I'll be in so if you need me just call my cell phone."

"Okay. How bad is it?" She asked, nodding toward the solitary photo of the blast site that was on the table in the hospital conference room they were standing in.

"Pretty bad, 60 dead, another 45 injured. This was the worst possible day for this to happen, right after the holidays; everyone was inside that bank. The ones that didn't die all probably wish they had from the injuries I've seen go by."

"Have they determined the cause of the explosion?"

"No, this is a really strange case. Nobody knows if it was a bomb or just a very unlucky accident. Usually there are signs that will point one way or the other, but not here, everyone's baffled, the explosives experts should get in tomorrow when there's light. The hospital staff will be happy once the FBI and police move out so they can have their facility back." He added the last comment under his breath casually as if Scully couldn't hear.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then, sir." She walked out of the conference room and toward the room that had been assigned to Adia hours earlier.

Scully entered Adia's room and was immediately pleased to see the slight rise and fall of the girl's chest; she was asleep. She sat down in the vacant chair next to the bed and was soon lost in her own thoughts of that day, and of the vacation she had just spent with her family.

Scully had arrived in San Diego to her brother's cold stare and her nephew's energized proclamation of her role of being their aunt. She had smiled at her brother, embraced the boys- one barely even walking, and then she had resigned to her fate and stepped into the car that would take her to a weeklong hell of family, family, and more family. Bill had been unemotional towards her for the entire week she had been at his house; her mother had been sweet and kind but not as close as she once had been before Emily and her cancer. Tara had been in the kitchen most of her visit cooking and cleaning, so Dana hadn't seen very much of her. She was actually happy Skinner had called her to come to Philadelphia, freeing her from her family. Dana started to think of Emily. Her daughter, the one child on the planet she thought had never cried in her life, the little girl who had been one of the many fatalities of the X-files. Adia somehow reminded Scully of Emily in some unseen way; Adia looked nothing like her blonde haired, blue eyed daughter, and Emily was many years younger than Adia, but still Scully couldn't shake the feeling of how much the two were alike in the feelings they both produced in her.

A knock on Adia's door startled Dana out of her reverie. The door was opened by a rotund woman with smooth weave of black hair pulled back in a smart bun. "Hello, my name is Mary Greene, I'm with social services, is this Adia Martin?"

"Yes. I'm Dana Scully; I work for the FBI, I found Adia outside the morgue looking for her mother's body."

"I've just collected her birth records from the hospital records bank, handy thing this is the hospital where she was born too or this process could have taken much longer."

"When is she going to be placed in foster care?"

"Well maybe as early as tomorrow, if we either can't get a hold of her father or he doesn't want her." The woman opened one of the two folders in her hand. "Well he's been paying unsolicited child support to her mother for the last nine years, since she was born. There are even DNA testing results in here, this kid is definitely his, whoever he is."

"Unsolicited child support?" Scully asked perplexed.

"Yes, it never went to any kind of court, the mother never even filed a request, the father did every thing himself, he can't be all that bad I guess if he went to all that trouble to give the mother all of that money to support his daughter." Mrs. Greene sat down next to the door, leaving one chair empty, the one on the other side of Adia's bed.

"What is that folder? Her hospital records wouldn't have that much information."

"It's her legal folder, on cases where the mother is not married to the father, and never was, it is sometimes hard to trace the father. Many times they don't want to be involved in the care of the child and therefore the mother usually ends up suing for child support. But in this case it appears that the father almost had to force the money on the mother."

"When will you call him?"

"Now, all I have to do is check Adia's chart and then I'll ring him directly."

Twenty minutes later Mrs. Greene hung up the phone in the doctor's lounge with a huff, the father had not answered the telephone at his home. She would have to go wake the child and tell her she was going to have to go to a group home until her father could be reached.

"Ms. Scully, I couldn't get hold of the father, he could be out of town for the holidays. I'll have to send Adia to a home until he's available." She said when Scully met her outside Adia's room

"Is there any thing I can do for her?" Scully didn't want to see Adia have the same fate Emily had after her adoptive mother Roberta Simm died.

"Pray." Mrs. Greene turned toward the door.

"This guy..." Scully waited for Mrs. Greene to supply the name so she would have someone to blame for how horrible she felt.

"A Walter S. Skinner of Crystal City, Virginia."

"He doesn't even know how special..." Scully almost passed out when it clicked in her mind what the woman before her had just said. "Did you say Walter Skinner? Walter Sergei Skinner?"

"Yes that's what the S. stands for, do you know him?"

"Yes, he's here, he is the head of the investigation into the explosion." Scully's mind was spinning at the implications of the news that Skinner had a child, a daughter that she had just about fallen in love with. She realized how much she did not know about the man that she sat before almost everyday, the man she thought of as a very good friend- more family really than her own family, to an extent of course.

"That's wonderful!"

"Do you want me to call him? I can have him down here in about 20 minutes."

"Yes. It is so wonderful that he's so close." Scully headed off toward the phone, her nervousness increasing with every tile she left behind.


	4. First Meeting

Scully picked up the phone, dialing Skinner's cell phone number she realized she didn't know any thing about his relationship with his daughter or her mother. He could have had a horrible fight with Annemarie Martin, they could still be lovers, anything could have happened between them. Wasn't he married to Sharon back then? A part of her mind started screaming. "Skinner." The phone was answered sending Scully flying roughly back to the real world.

"Skinner, it's Scully, I need you to come back to the hospital."

"Agent Scully, what's going on?" He asked concerned.

"I can explain when you get here, Sir."

"Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes, where will I meet you?"

"In the conference room we were in earlier."

"I'll be there." He murmured before ending the call.

"Well he's on his way, now what?" She asked herself before standing to go check on Adia, and to tell Mrs. Greene the news of Walter Skinner's impending arrival.

Scully opened Adia's door to discover her sitting up in her bed watching television.

"Hey Adia, whatcha watching?"

"The news. There's nothing else on."

"How exciting, there's absolutely nothing on?"

"Nope, I don't have any of my school things, I guess I may not be getting them back. They were in our car when the building blew up, of course so was I. If I had my school things I would be reading right now, my class is reading a book that I really, really like."

"Later, if you want, I'll try to find out what happened to your stuff."

"That'd be great; of course my mom would just buy me another book. But she's dead now and I can't dwell on what was or might have been." Dana had only spoken briefly to her about death, but now the child was starting to sound like a psychology text.

"But it's still good to think about her, it will help you to move on, if you think about her you won't feel as lonely without her." Scully smiled. "Have you seen Mrs. Greene?"

"She was here when I woke up but she left saying she was going to call her family."

"I've got to go meet someone; I'll be back in about 20 minutes, will you be okay?" Scully stood up from where she was sitting and headed for the door.

"I'll be fine Dana, thank you for all of your help. If you hadn't brought me back up here I might still be down there, cold and lost without my mom."

"You're welcome, but really you've helped yourself immensely, you just haven't realized it yet." She smiled once again and quickly departed out the door.

Scully bumped into Mrs. Greene on her way to the conference room. "Skinner should be awaiting our arrival..." She looked at her watch. "Now."

They came to the conference room door to find Skinner standing oddly in the middle of the room near the large oak table. He looked cold with little specks of quickly melting snow on his topcoat and on his hair-less head. "Scully, what's going on here?"

"Sir, this is Mary Greene, she's from social services. She needs to speak to you about Adia Martin." The look that passed over Skinner's face was one Dana had never seen before, it was a look of utter surprise and of complete confusion.

"Mr. Skinner, your daughter is Adia Martin, correct?"

"Yes, is there something wrong with her?"

"Her mother, Annemarie Martin, died yesterday in the blast. You're the only family she has in this country, if you don't want her, or you can't take her because of privacy issues or your job security, she will be placed in a group home and eventually foster care, just a smaller group home really. It is very doubtful that she will ever be adopted because of her age but..."

"Stop." Skinner interrupted her. "I will not put my own daughter up for adoption. Where is she?"

"In a room right off the emergency ward." Scully answered.

"Will you please take me there, Agent Scully?"

"Of course Sir." She pulled herself out of the door, leaving Mrs. Greene in the room alone, and made her way down the hall, Skinner by her side. Outside the door she stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder. "How often do you see her, Sir?"

Skinner sighed. "I've never actually seen her before, I mean face to face, though Ammie did send me a picture of her a few years ago when she started kindergarten."

"So you're just going to go in there and do what?"

"What ever I have to do Agent Scully, I just can't stand to have her sent off to some place where nobody will care for her, I've never even met her, I guess I'm not exactly a good father but I've gotta do something." Scully nodded and led the way into the room; Adia turned to her and gave her a huge beaming smile.

"Hey Dana."

"Adia, I want you to meet someone," She motioned for Skinner to come closer to the bed. "This is Walter Skinner, he's your Dad."

"You're my father? Really, my Mom told me absolutely nothing about you, she never wanted to talk about it. I'm really happy to meet you." Skinner visibly relaxed and Scully gave him an encouraging smile.

"Sir, I'm going to go wait outside, if you need me don't hesitate to ask." She left him alone with the smiling child.

"Adia, I'm really sorry about your mother." He started out.

"It's all right, Dana spoke to me about survivor's remorse and everything already, I'll be okay." It was her turn to give him an encouraging smile, she instantly reminded him of Dana.

"Would you like to come live with me? I really don't have much to offer you now, but I do have a spare bedroom, and we could go shopping and buy you some new furniture, or we could bring whatever you have at you mom's house."

"Where do you live?"

"Virginia, Crystal City, Virginia." He stammered.

"Where's that?" She curiously asked.

"Right outside of Washington, DC."

"That's not too far away but I still wouldn't see my friends. And I'd have to change schools too. Wouldn't I?"

"Unfortunately yes, but there's some really good private schools in DC and the surrounding areas. And you can call, write, or e-mail your friends."

"Can we go home, I mean to my mom's now?"

"Yeah, if the doctors are done with you." He opened the door and motioned for Scully to join them.

"Is Adia okay to leave?"

"Yes Sir, all you have to do is sign her out."

"Okay. Can you arrange that and I'll go call the Field Office and tell them I won't be heading the investigation anymore."

Adia stood up. "I'm ready to go." She quickly pulled on her shoes.

"Adia why don't you come with me and we'll get your discharge papers while your father makes his calls?"

"Okay."

Adia and Dana arranged her discharge papers and were handed Adia's backpack and Annemarie's charred purse, wrapped in a plastic bag, which Scully tossed into the overnight bag she had been carrying since she had arrived from San Diego.

"Okay let's go find Skinner and you can hurry and get home. She looked down at Adia and realized for the first time that she was wearing only a child's hospital gown, not exactly attire for snow. Scully opened her bag and pulled out the sweatshirt Mattie and Cranston had given her, she handed it to Adia who pulled it over her head.

"Thanks Dana."

"You're welcome."

They located Skinner and soon the papers were signed and they made their way out of the building.

"Scully, I'm going to ask a favor of you, you don't have to do it, but I was wondering if you would come with us?" He almost begged her.

"Of course I will, Skinner you just met her half an hour ago, you don't know anything about her, neither do I for that matter, but two people have to be better than one in this, right?"

"Thank you so much Scully, I don't know the first thing about kids. I didn't even think about her being cold like you did, thank you for taking care of my daughter before I even knew it was her you were so interested in."

"Skinner don't thank me yet, you've both got a long road ahead of you, thank me when you're both settled... and alive." He smiled and she smiled back as Adia pulled one each of their hands toward the only car left on their side of the parking garage. Once they were all settled in the car and all firmly held in place by seatbelts, Skinner started the car and drove away from the hospital.


	5. Getting to Know You

"Hey Adia, you do know how to get home, right?"

"Of course, do you know how to get to Chinatown?"

"I think I remember."

"Well that's where we live. Mom used to say that it was like being at her grandfather's house in China, or at least it sounded like it when the people would start yelling in Chinese." Skinner and Scully could almost feel the heat of her smile and the sweetness of her laughter made both of them smile.

With more directions from the backseat driver they all arrived at an apartment building in an upscale area of Chinatown.

"This is it?" Scully asked.

"Yup, this is where I've lived since I was born." Adia jumped out of the car and shivered in the cold, snow flustered air.

"Um Adia, do you have any keys?" Scully asked.

"I think so, if not they should be in my mom's purse." She led the way upstairs and to the door of apartment 14b. Adia dug around in the bottom of her bag and came up with one solitary key. She put it in the doorknob and it opened welcoming them into the warmth of the heater that had probably been running for the last two days without anyone around to turn it off during the day. The nicely decorated apartment had two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a nice kitchen and a fairly good-sized living room area.

"Adia, why don't you go get ready for bed and we'll make some hot chocolate or something, okay?" Scully suggested.

"I'm really tired, all I want is to go back to sleep." She said, yawning and heading back to what they assumed to be her bathroom and bedroom.

"Good night." They both called to her in unison. They smiled and just stood staring at each other until Scully broke the silence.

"Whew... what a day." Scully said, heading into the kitchen in search of something warm to drink. Skinner followed her after he discarded his topcoat and suit jacket.

"So... Scully, sleeping arrangements?"

"I don't know, you take the couch, I'll take the chair. Or you could take the bed, and I'll take the couch."

"I wouldn't feel comfortable on Annemarie's bed, and from the sound of it, neither would you."

"So... You take the couch and I'll take the chair?"

"No, you take the couch, I'll take the chair." He said, feeling bad for making her come with him and then not having a comfortable place for her to sleep.

"All of my stuff is down in the car."

"Oh yeah, mine too. I'll go down and get both while you make something warm to drink."

Soon the two found themselves sitting on the couch, hot tea in hand. "Skinner, you don't have to answer this, but how did you meet Ammie Martin?"

"She was at a law seminar I was attending just prior to completing my JD law degree. We hit it off really well the first day and then over the next seven days we got closer, better friends and then one night got drunk and we both lost all inhibitions- the result was Adia."

"You only knew her seven days?"

"Yes, Agent Scully, and then a couple of months later she called me up and we had lunch. She told me she was pregnant, that she didn't want me involved in the child's life at all but I insisted on paying at least child support, she resisted but then gave in. The only contact I've had with her since then has been Adia's kindergarten picture, and that was almost 5 years ago."

"Did you ever tell your wife about Ammie, or Adia?"

"No, I know you probably think I just picked up this woman one night because I wasn't satisfied with my wife, but that wasn't it at all. Sharon and I separated for over 6 months in '89, and then after Ammie we got back together, before I even knew she was pregnant though. As everyone knows Sharon and my reconciliation was a complete waste of everyone's time."

"But still, why didn't you tell her?" Scully stood up to refill her mug with more chamomile tea.

"Because Sharon and I were unable to conceive a child, we tried for years; Sharon's body just couldn't sustain another life I guess." He followed her into the kitchen. "I used to lay in bed at night and wish I could just tell someone, anyone, about Adia, Sharon would have probably taken my weapon and killed me, I got this woman pregnant after just one night with her, I would have deserved death too. I never told anyone and now here I am finally seeing her, and she's absolutely wonderful." His smiles still struck her as odd, these were completely new facial expressions to her, and she loved them.

"I'm really happy you finally get to be with your daughter, sir, I'm very happy for you." Scully was near tears, her memories of Emily too strong for her to deal with at that moment.

"I'm sorry Scully, I forgot about your daughter. You never did get the chance to be with her, did you?" They once again sat down and Scully started fidgeting with the pillow she had just placed in her lap.

"Everyone worked against me while I was trying to adopt her, but in the end we got to spend her last few days together." She managed a weak smile before the tears started flowing freely beyond Dana's control. "I'm sorry, excuse me, sir." Scully placed her mug on the table and ran into the kitchen.

"Scully you can't hide from Emily forever, I know you feel remorse and regret for not being with her, but Scully you've got to understand that there was no way you could have known about her, or gotten to her sooner." Skinner came up behind her place in front of the sink and placed a hand on her shoulder, gently turning her around.

"Skinner, I don't know how to change these feelings, I know there was nothing I could do, but I...I just wish I could have been there for her. I was a horrible failure as a mother." Her tears started anew and on impulse Skinner pulled her against his chest, Scully snaked her arms around his waist and allowed her tears to silently fall, dampening his starched shirt. Skinner started making soothing hand motions across her back, he realized her scent was getting to him- light and flowery, dark and spicy. The scent had to be natural; no one could bottle something so exotic and enticing. "I'm so sorry sir, I am out of line here." Dana pulled away from Skinner leaving him feeling cold and empty.

"No Scully, you're nowhere near out of line, if either one of us is, it's me. You can leave here if you want, I won't hold it against you." He said, tiredly turning around so she couldn't see the emotions playing across his face.

"Skinner, I won't leave you, not now, probably not until you kick me out." She smiled at his back, her tears quickly receding. She put her hands on his shoulders, resting her head on his shoulder blades.

"What's going on here Scully?"

"I don't know sir, but I'm pleased with whatever it is." Skinner turned around and pulled her form into his, their lips met - sending their tongues into a dance that only the two of them could understand. Scully was the one to pull away first. "Adia," She reminded. "If she were to come in here and see us... well she really doesn't know you, or me, yet, and it wouldn't look good."

"You're right Scully, as always. Let's go back into the living room and finish our tea." The words were gruff, but he gently took her hand and they sat down on the couch. The two turned on the television and settled on a late night, black and white movie.

Scully lay her head on Skinner's shoulder, he put his arms around her and the two sat like that for hours until they were both asleep.


	6. Preparations

Skinner was the first to awaken; the sun came through the window and danced happily across his face. He checked his watch, 6:30, and he started to move until he noticed the warm weight of the person sleeping on him. He looked down, Scully-her peaceful expression in sleep making Skinner want to sit there forever, but thinking of Adia, he gently moved himself out from under Dana and headed into the kitchen intent on finding coffee in Annemarie's kitchen.

Half an hour later Skinner stood in the doorway to the kitchen sipping a mug of tea that boasted 'energizing' raspberry. He decided he didn't feel very energized; instead he longed to be back with Dana, sleeping peacefully on the couch, or better yet, in a bed. Walter forced his thoughts to end there before he did end back up on that couch.

Dana started to stir causing Walter to abandon all thoughts of 'that' nature, he went to her and when she opened her eyes and sat up, he handed her a mug of the purported 'energizing' raspberry tea.

"Thanks." She muttered, taking a sip of the tea. "What on earth is this?"

"Ammie obviously wasn't a big coffee drinker, I couldn't find any in the cupboards, so the only thing I could locate was this supposedly energizing tea, and personally I don't believe it."

"I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a shower." Scully said yawning. "I wonder when Adia will grace us with her presence."

"Well she's only been in bed for 5 hours. And of course we don't know anything about how she sleeps." Scully picked up her bag, opening it she removed Annemarie Martin's purse and placed it on the floor next to the couch.

"If you want, I'll go through that later and save anything important." Scully pulled her clothing and bath supplies out of her bag and stood up.

"That'd be good, thank you, for helping so much Scully, it really means a lot to me." Skinner sat down on the couch.

"I enjoy it Skinner, I like doing stuff for you, you're a wonderful person to work for." She walked down the hall to the bathroom.

"Scully, I don't want you to view this as you working for me, I like having you help me, but not working for me." He placed his hand on the door as she was closing it.

"I didn't really mean it like that, I like you Walter Skinner, I think you're a good person and I want to make everything with Adia as easy as possible for both of you."

He released the door. "Sorry Scully, you're wonderful." As Skinner went to walk back down the hall, he noticed Adia's door was ajar; he stuck his head through the small opening and saw his daughter asleep in her darkened room. Walter smiled and went back into the living room to finish his tea.

In the shower Scully didn't know what to think of Skinner. She knew she liked him, a lot, but she couldn't think of how to tactfully pursue him without the possibility of Adia getting hurt, she didn't want to throw herself at him again like she had the previous night and end up hurting Skinner or herself.

Sighing, she started concentrating on the rivulets and rushing sound of the water cascading over her body and soon all of her concerns were lost and all she could concentrate on was the scent of her oat soap.

"Your turn." Scully announced to Skinner as she returned into the living room lightly toweling her hair.

"Thanks." He flashed her a smile and scurried down the hall taking in her jeans and cotton tee shirt on the way.

Ten minutes later Adia came stumbling down the hall. "Good morning Dana."

"Hey, how's your arm?"

"It hurts," She looked around. "Where's my Dad?"

"In the shower." Dana stood up. "Come into the kitchen and I'll change your bandage."

Scully took off the bindings from Adia's arm and winced at the gashes marring the child. She cleaned the wounds and started to redress it when Skinner came waltzing into the kitchen smiling happily. "Walter, look at this." Scully pointed toward the oozing wounds.

"Oh my goodness." He exclaimed, and realizing his need to calm his daughter at that moment refined his comment. "It's infected?"

"Yes, a mild one, but it does need some ointment." She patted Adia's leg in encouragement. "Do you know where your mother keeps the medical supplies?"

"Yes, they're in her bathroom, it's through her bedroom." She added the last comment as the two adults looked at each other with uncertainly.

"I'll go, I know what I'm looking for, and I may discover other things I might need." Scully ended the silent debate between her and Skinner and pushed past him placing a hand on his shoulder.

"How did you sleep?" Skinner asked Adia once they were alone.

"Pretty good," She cocked her head. "Are you going to take me to school today?"

"School? Isn't it Christmas break or something?" He asked, he hadn't even considered how she was going to switch schools, he hadn't really even thought of how they were going to live together.

"Not my school, we only get Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve off. They don't believe in taking any time away from our studies. Supposedly it's the best school in Philadelphia." She sighed and then looked at her father, smiling a cautious smile. "I'm going to have to leave all of my friends aren't I? I only get to see them on weekends anyway; I can only imagine how often I'd see them if I lived in a different state."

"I could probably get myself transferred to the Field Office here, and then you would be able to stay at your school and with your friends." Scully came in catching what Skinner had just said; she shot him a worried glance that meant they were going to speak later about him leaving.

"Thankfully I've found a lot of things to use." Scully announced, and proceeded to carefully spread the ointment over the entire surface; she then wrapped the dressings and tapped them gingerly. "You're all done; you'll need to take a bath, not a shower, if you usually do. The wound needs to be kept dry." Scully informed Adia and helped her down off the kitchen counter.

Skinner stopped her on her way to her bedroom. "When you're dressed we'll go to your school and see if we can get a couple day's worth of work, we've all got to go to DC."

"Okay." She skipped off toward her room and then swiftly made her way to the bathroom.

When the bathroom door was secured Scully turned to Skinner. "You're going to move to Philadelphia?" She gasped.

"Scully, I can't take her away from everything she's ever known, she has friends here, and school here, which she's missing right now."

"But Walter, you're an Assistant Director of the FBI, it won't look good if you just pack up and leave headquarters."

"Scully I won't fight with you about this, I need to do what's best for my daughter, she's all that matters right now, not the bureau, and definitely not my reputation." He said and stalked to the couch, setting himself down purposefully.

"Skinner, I'm not saying you need to abandon your daughter, I just think that both of you need to go to DC, like you're already going to, and talk over your options there." She sat close to him and fixed him with one of her patented 'Scully glares' "I care about you Walter; I know that you won't be happy here, true Adia might, but what if the two of you could be happy in DC?"

"Scully, I just don't know, I'll help her with the decision, but I'll leave the final choice to her." He pulled her body to his and kissed her head. "Scully I really would like to stay in DC, explore our relationship a bit more, but I can't hurt Adia."

"I understand that, I just don't want either of you out of my life, she's a wonderful child and you, well, you're wonderful too." She turned around in his arms and kissed his lips briefly him before pulling away and slipping on her shoes.

Twenty minutes later Adia came out of her bathroom dressed in a pair of new-looking jeans and a Casmir sweater. She looked like any child of an exceptionally wealthy person. Skinner and Scully looked at each other, both with the same thoughts. "Let's get going to your school." Skinner said, assisting both women into their coats.

The school was a large expanse of buildings in the Gothic style, Adia directed Skinner where to park and the three found their way to the head master's office.

"Mr. Skinner, Mrs. Skinner, please come on in." The bald priest welcomed them into his office.

"Excuse me; this is my colleague, Dr. Dana Scully." Skinner politely corrected as the two sat down in front of the massive oak desk, the priest having ordered Adia to wait outside while they discussed her schooling.

"Mr. Skinner, I really must tell you how sorry we are for the loss of Adia's mother."

"Thank you, along that same line, I don't live here in Philadelphia, I live in Washington DC, I'm an Assistant Director with the FBI, Adia and I will be leaving tomorrow and we needed some of her work for about a week."

"Of course Mr. Skinner, will she be returning?"

"We're not sure, her school and friends and just about every thing she knows are here, but my work and everything is in DC, we're going to decide sometime in the next week."

"We are also a boarding school, Mr. Skinner, that is an option."

"I really don't want to leave my daughter; I want us to be together."

"As you should Mr. Skinner, please keep us informed about your decisions, and don't be afraid to ask for anything you might need."

"Thank you sir, but all we need right now is some work so she won't get too far behind in school while we're gone."

"Yes, do you have an address you would like those things delivered to later this evening?"

"Delivered, um... Adia's home address. You do have it, right?"

"Yes."

"Thank you." The men stood up and shook hands before they went out and, with Adia in tow, returned to their car.

"Dad?" Adia said slowly, once Skinner had started the car in the direction of Chinatown.

"Yes, Adia?"

"Are we going to be here for the Mummer's Parade?" She asked quietly.

"What's that?"

"It's a parade on New Year's day."

"I don't know."

"I've been to it every year since I was born; it was mom and my one special day together."

"We'll try to go." Skinner answered her comment, not knowing anything more reassuring to say.


	7. New Years

That afternoon Skinner ordered a pizza and spent time getting to know his daughter, he'd already missed the first nine years of her life and despite the looming threat of her teenage years; he wasn't willing to miss anything more. Even though his attention was focused primarily on Adia, he also enjoyed the interaction with Agent Scully, a woman he was getting closer to by the minute and who his daughter seemed to be becoming attached to as well.

Later that evening Skinner called the FBI, requesting personal time for both himself and Agent Scully... though he didn't fail to mention that Agent Scully was chaperoning an orphaned little girl. They spent their night playing board games and eating unhealthy snack foods. It was while Scully was on one of these snack runs that Skinner got the chance to talk to Adia privately.

"Hey Ade... you like Dana, right?" He asked cautiously.

"Of course I do dad, she's great. Why, is there something wrong with her?"

"No honey, I just... Dana and I aren't allowed to date... or be together."

"I know, you're her boss, but you guys could work around it somehow... and dad, just so you know, I'm okay with it." She smiled confidently at him.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence kid." He leaned over from where he was sitting on the carpeted floor to pull her into a hug.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

December 31, 1999

Everyone slept in on New Years Eve day... not only had the previous day been longer than any day of their lives, but they were expecting to be up past midnight also.

Walter Skinner awoke with a crick in his neck; a tall man sleeping in an admittedly oversized arm chair was still not a good combination. He glanced over to Dana, still stretched out on the couch, never having been in Ammie's home when they were acquainted, he didn't know if this was her decorating style or someone else's, the couch Dana was on was wider than it was long, looking as if it were made for a portly individual. Adia's yawning, stretching, shuffle down the hall and into the kitchen made him perk up and head to the bathroom to brush his teeth and relieve himself before facing his daughter.

Once semi-presentable, he made his way back through the apartment and into the kitchen where he was handed a mug of steaming coffee.

"I noticed you were awake when I came through, figured since you and Dana bought this stuff you'd want some." Adia smiled warmly as she used the coffee pot to make herself a cup of tea. "I left a mug for Dana on the coffee table; it'll probably wake her with the smell."

"Did you make tea for your mom in the morning?"

"Yeah, it's just a habit, I'm normally the first up so I have tea duty and then mom would come in and get breakfast, unless I got to it first... we were a team. I miss her."

"I know, and if you need someone to talk to, you can always talk to me, or if you need a woman... you can call Dana, I'm sure she wouldn't mind. You're not alone Adia."

"Thanks Dad... so, what are we going to do today?"

"Well, I was thinking you could show Dana and me the sights, and then we could get a nice dinner early, before things get crazy out."

"Sounds good to me," She stopped short for a minute. "Are we going to have a funeral for mom?"

"We could have a memorial, as far as I know she didn't leave a will, I'll handle everything, you've already had enough to go through." Walter dimly registered the sound of the shower running in Adia's bathroom, making him leave the kitchen to grab his bag from the living room floor.

"She should be cremated, she mentioned it once while we were watching a movie or something, and let's face it Dad, she died in an explosion." Adia's frank way with words was still striking to Walter.

While Adia was packing her clothing and all of her essential items, Walter started making phone calls, if they were going to take care of Ammie's remains before they left town it would have to be that evening as the three had decided to leave for DC the next night.

Scully came out of the bathroom, where she had been drying her hair and packing up Adia's toiletries, to find Walter on the phone. "Again, thank you for the offer, Adia and I will be in touch." Skinner hung up and pulled Dana into a brief hug. "We've decided to have Ammie cremated today. After that I've just spoken to Adia's aunt in China who would like the ashes, the crematorium is going to handle all of the documentation and export procedures." He sighed. "I never in a million years would have expected to have to do this."

"I understand, it's tough. Adia didn't want to hold on to the ashes?"

"No, it's kind of morbid to have your dead mother hanging around the house, isn't it? Marina Martin has invited us to China if we ever decide to take a trip."

"What are you going to do for a memorial?"

"I'll check with Adia to be sure, but I think a wake the next time we're in town would be nice." He kissed her head fondly before releasing her from his arms with a sigh, going back to life as AD Skinner and Agent Scully was going to be tough.

"Are you and Adia going to be all right alone once we get home?" That was the one question that had been beating the inside of Walter's brain incessantly since he first met his daughter.

"We're going to have to be, aren't we? Not that you haven't been great, and I know how awkward this would have been if it was just the two of us, but we are going to have to figure out how to survive alone."

"I'll always be there for you guys if you need me."

"Don't worry," Walter's face took on the hint of a smile. "When she starts in on puberty you will be the first to deal with my panic. And for the record, I like having you around."

Once Adia was packed, the group left for sight seeing around her historic city. To any bystanders they were a typical family, and despite the fact that they didn't know each other particularly well, it felt right, though neither of the adults was quite ready to admit the true depths of their feelings. As they walked, they noticed a lot of people preparing for the Mummer's Parade, putting up banners, moving those all important port-a-potties into position, and setting up what would become concessions and vender stands the next day.

After several hours walking around Philadelphia in the crisp late December air, Adia took Walter and Dana to one of her favorite restaurants. The Ocean Harbor Chinese Restaurant was legendary not only for its food, but for the unique and very authentic feel of the place, along with the superb service. They deliberately chose to eat early so as to not conflict with anyone who might be under the premature influence of alcohol on their way home and the restaurant was pretty much blanketed by families like them, quietly enjoying their time together.

Once back at the apartment, Adia only lasted a couple of hours before bowing out and heading off for her last night in her own bed for a while.

Walter and Dana sat on the overstuffed couch together only half paying attention to the festivities occurring on Annemarie's television set. They only had eyes for each other as they recounted previous New Year's occurrences.

"Oh it was horrible," Scully was saying. "having Mulder get drunk enough to try and cop a feel in lieu of a kiss was so embarrassing, he's like my brother." She was laughing, her entire face as bright as her hair, and in that moment Walter realized she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, especially when she was here with him, giving up her vacation to help him take care of his daughter. He'd warned Adia about becoming too attached to the idea of Dana always being in their lives, or at least he'd tried to, but he himself obviously hadn't been listening.

In the wake of Dana's story the countdown began on the television, catching both occupants of the room by surprise. They realized what was occurring and eight seconds later their mouths came together for what both had promised themselves would be a chaste kiss but which quickly turned into a full blown exploration of each other's mouths. This time, however, it was Walter who ended the kiss, his right hand still lightly caressing her left breast.

"I'm sorry Dana, we can't do this, there's your career and Adia's asleep in the next room." She put two fingers over his mouth to silence the never-ending list of reasons they couldn't be together.

"It's New Year's Eve Walter; we're allowed a little kiss." Her mind was telling her what a terrific understatement she'd just made, especially considering her breast was still cupped in his warm hand, which she wasn't about to bring to his attention.

The next morning Walter awoke to the smell of coffee and Dana, whom he realized was asleep on his chest, after taking a quick inventory of both his memory and his and Dana's dress and position to make sure he hadn't exposed his daughter to anything untoward, he turned to face Adia where she sat in the chair next to them watching television, the news if Walter wasn't mistaken with his glasses off.

"Good morning."

"Good morning." She greeted, giving him a wide smile.

"Sleep well?" He was learning, or perhaps biology was starting to kick in on him being a concerned father.

"Yeah. The world didn't end because of Y2K, so that's a plus; I don't know why everyone was so concerned to begin with."

"You know how irrational adults can be kiddo."

"You mean like you and Dana thinking you shouldn't be together just because you're an assistant director?" Damn, but the kid was perceptive, Walter flushed, embarrassed that he was so completely transparent to a nine year-old

"Anyway, what time did you want to leave for the parade?" Smooth recovery, Walter, he chided himself for his lack of courage.

"As early as we can, after noon it just gets too crowded and insane."

"Okay then, go get dressed while I get Dana up and caffeinated." Adia clicked off the television before heading down the hall to her bedroom. Taking one last look at Dana's sleeping face, Walter gave her shoulder a gentle nudge.

"Skinner?" She questioned, sleepily. "Oh god, what time is it? Did Adia...?"

"The coffee fairy has come and gone." He nodded to the two steaming mugs on Ammie's coffee table. "And yes, to answer what I assume was your question she did see us."

"Where is she now?" She looked around as she crawled up and off of his body to grab the dark beverage.

"Getting dressed for the parade, seems time is of the essence for this thing."

They spent a few hours at the Mummer's Day Parade before leaving the area to walk back home. They stopped for lunch along the way, and at some point during the journey Walter grabbed Dana's hand. Adia pretended not to notice and decided to walk a step ahead of the adults, every time she had let on that she knew they liked each other her Dad or Dana started acting all weird, so she'd decided to stop trying to interfere and just let nature take its course.

As they walked Dana's mind was racing, she wasn't sure what it would be like once she was living alone again, being back in her own bed would be nice, her brother's guest bed followed by Adia's couch was not doing anything for her back, but being alone would be difficult, not hearing Walter or Adia's voices would definitely be a distressing adjustment. Dana already knew in her heart that they could make it as a family, but first she knew that Walter and Adia had to become a family without her interference. And so, it was with a heavy heart that she climbed out of Walter's car and onto the curb in front of her building, they had already pulled away before she realized her car was still at Dulles.


	8. Home

Still on the curb with her bag in one hand, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the one person who could be trusted to be around whenever she didn't really need him, but sometimes he did come through. "Mulder, are you dead or in jail?" the question was redundant, since if either had been true her often absent partner would have been unable to answer his phone. "I need you to drive me to the airport." Pause. "No, I didn't just come from there, I've been in Philadelphia on a CASE while you were out playing cowboys and Indians with the Lone Gunmen, yes Mulder, I know that both groups historically saw other-worldly lights in the night sky. Damn it Mulder, just get over here." She slammed her phone shut, sometimes talking to her partner was like talking to a two year old child, although she was almost convinced her nephew Cranston was a better conversationalist.

It was over a week later before Dana spoke to either Skinner or Adia again, the bureau was full of rumors about the continued absence of the surly AD, but she wasn't concerned, both Adia and Walter needed time to make the adjustment. It was Adia who called her cell phone, inviting her over to 'their apartment' for dinner the next night.

The following evening, she knocked on Walter Skinner's door for the first time without being there to make demands. She'd dressed herself as best she could, form hugging in places, PG rated but still vaguely sexy. Adia answered the door, throwing herself into Dana's arms before pulling back.

"Welcome to our house, let me give you the grand tour." She was smiling, seeming to be completely happy, exactly what Scully had wanted for her. "We went back to Philadelphia last weekend... with a trailer. Dad and I have decided to stay here, I love DC, we've even found a great school where not only will I get the best education possible but I'll also get vacations." Adia was bubbly, even something like a school vacation was exciting, she showed Dana around downstairs, laundry, living room, dining room, kitchen, office, before heading up the stairs which Scully mounted with some consternation, this was Walter Skinner's home after all.

The first door they came to was closed, without being prompted Adia spoke up at Dana's gaze. "Dad's room, he's in the shower, primping for you." She said the last part under her breath with a smile. "Guest room." She pointed to the next door, which was standing open to reveal a nice bedroom set and was tastefully decorated. "And most importantly we come to my room." All of Adia's furniture was there, though the bedspread and all the decorations were new, Walter must have spent a fortune, but Dana knew that Adia was most definitely worth it.

Walter found them a few minutes later chattering quietly in Adia's room, she was undoubtedly recounting their exploits in both Philadelphia and DC and every little town in between. They'd gotten to know each other, she was nine years old, she was her own person, knew what she liked and disliked and only needed an encouraging nudge in the right direction occasionally, Ammie had done a good job getting her to this age and he was going to do his damndest to keep her on the right track. He had ended up using one of his oldest political contacts to get Adia an interview with the best school in DC, though her getting in had been entirely on her own merits. The place was pricey, but he could afford it, he'd pretty much been banking his pay since he and Sharon had separated, never spending money unless it was for something he needed.

"Ladies." Walter announced his presence from the doorway.

"Dad, we were just talking about you."

"Miss Martin, you should know better than to try and get me in trouble with the master over there." He joked, nodding to Scully.

"Okay, so we weren't talking about you, this time." She gave him her sweetest smile. "Is it time for dinner?"

"Yeah, why don't you go on down and set the table?" Adia stood and walked out of her room, it was after they had heard her footsteps on the stairs that Scully also stood.

"You look beautiful tonight Dana." Skinner said, before his brain could stop him.

"Thanks, you don't look half bad yourself." She wrapped her arms around him and it was instantly as if she hadn't been at the bureau for a week without him. "I'm so glad the two of you are staying in DC, that was going to be a hell of a commute just for me to stalk you." She joked into his chest, he smelled of soap and a scent she had come to associate with his smoke free office, though she was now realizing was just him.

They ate a nice dinner, followed by an innocuous television program, after that Adia had gone up to bed, leaving the adults to sit on the couch. Scully automatically leaning into Skinner's arms, and for a while they just sat, each contemplating quiet thoughts.

"Marry me?" It came from out of the blue, Scully pulled off his chest to assess his mental stability. "Not today, or tomorrow, or even sometime this year. But sometime during our lifetime Dana, I'd like you to be my wife."

"Why? I mean we barely know each other and you've just gotten Adia moved in." She wanted to say yes so badly it hurt, she just didn't want Water to be jumping the gun and not really mean it.

"I love you, and while having a daughter it not why I want to be with you, she has made me see how much I want you." He placed one hand on her shoulder, not wanting to push her physically while she was still off kilter from his proposal.

"I love you too Walter, but how could we make this work? You're still my boss." Her voice was a hoarse whisper by this point, worn out from the day's work as well as her brain and heart doing battle as she spoke to Walter. Her worried eyes met and danced with his strong, steady ones.

"I've been thinking about the matter of my profession since I found out Ammie had died, I am going to go teach at Quantico, I need better hours and less stress, and being an Assistant Director isn't giving me that."

"Even though Mulder and I will both miss you terribly, and feel slightly abandoned at the office; if, somewhere down the line, I can wake up next to you it will be worth it. Mulder will just have to come over and watch basketball with you." Scully smiled indulgently as she leaned in to kiss him soundly.

"I'll get you a ring as soon as I leave the office, if you want it, and we can set a date whenever you're comfortable enough. I don't want to rush this and screw things up with you." His honesty struck her as one of the most touching things anyone had ever said to her.

"Don't worry Walter; I'm in this for life. When did you want to tell Aida?" Dana just hoped the young girl didn't decide she was trying to replace her mother, she wasn't, she knew that if she had lost her mother at Adia's age that she wouldn't have wanted a woman in her father's life within two weeks, but, she allowed herself, Adia hadn't ever seen her parents together, so maybe it was different.

"We should probably wait a while, she'll figure it out, she's a bright kid, but I don't want it to get around her school before it's legal. You know she's been trying to push us together since we picked her up."

Three weeks later, while Adia was at a sleepover birthday party for one of her new classmates, Walter decided to have a little sleepover of his own. Skinner and Scully had abstained from sexual activity, except for little mini-make out sessions here and there when Adia wasn't around. They had yet to see each other less than fully clothed, especially considering the living arrangements in Philadelphia, so it was with some trepidation that both Skinner and Scully mounted the stairs after dinner prior to their 'first time'.

Walter's second day teaching had gone better than his first and so he and Dana had decided to celebrate being free to publicly be together by privately being together. They decided to 'warm up' with each other by lighting some candles and taking a long shower, though when Dana slipped naked into his shower with him, Walter knew that things were already plenty warm.

Once out of the shower, neither bothered to dry off, just going out into Walter's bedroom then stripping the spread off the bed Dana lay down. Without his glasses Walter thought she looked like an ivory angel on his navy sheets; everything seemed to be moving so fast, and yet this moment had been six years in the making.

"You're beautiful, did you know that?" He asked, she merely gave him a lazy smile.

"I love you Walter." Dana pulled her arms around his shoulders before turning her head to wipe off the sheen of sweat that had formed on her face.

"And I love you."


	9. Epilogue

Epilogue

8 Months Later

11 August 2000

Opening the door to her home covered in slime was a skill Dana Scully had mastered many years ago, and today she executed it with the utmost perfection. It was Friday afternoon and her partner had just finished dragging her on a three day cross country alien chase that had, as usual, ended up in the Potomac, causing her to now be covered in some sort of noxious swamp sludge, if Mulder called or stopped by before Monday- he was a dead man.

"That's my step mom Dana, she chases aliens." Adia said to three girls Dana didn't recognize, as she tried to be invisible and sneak up the stairs.

"Hi girls." She weakly acknowledged, noticing with some relief on her way by the kitchen that there were steaming pots on the stove.

After a deep scrub in the shower, Dana felt vaguely more alive, not to mention a bit tingly; she dressed in jeans and a t-shirt before heading back downstairs, going to face the uniform-clad girls brimming with stories of their first week of the school year. She smiled serenely at them before continuing into Walter's study, instantly relieved when she spotted the back of her husband's head.

Dana leaned over his shoulder, pulling her arms around Walter's neck and placed her lips gently on his temple. "What's for dinner?" She laid on her most seductive voice, and it worked, Walter's chest rumbled in a deep laugh as he turned in his desk chair to pull her onto his lap.

"Rough day? What was Mulder's chosen torture today? Fire, alien disease... drowning?" Her face confirmed what the underage tattletales in the living room must have already told him. "He does realize that we've only been married two months and I was promised a lifetime with you, right? If Mulder allows anything to happen to you, well, he wouldn't last more than five minutes. God, I love you." He gave a small grin at his foolishness, before kissing Scully firmly on her soft lips. "Let's go see how the pasta's coming." Walter stood and moved to walk out into the kitchen before noticing Dana was not on his heel.

Realizing Walter had been reluctant to leave her after she had slid down into his now vacated chair, a look of concentration on her face, Dana looked up with a tired smile. "I'll be right out, Walter. Think you could get the girls to set the table?" He blew her a kiss with a smile before turning again and going to drain the penne pasta before heating the waiting sauce.

Dana looked down at her wedding rings, they sparkled in the dim light of the study, they were gorgeous, so beautiful in fact that she only wore her plain wedding band when she was working in the field; she knew her partner couldn't be trusted not to drag her into something that would inevitably melt diamonds. She couldn't remember a time in her life where she'd been as happy as she was with Walter and Adia now, and she could tell things would only get better for their family.

In her mind's eye she could see all the little twists and turns they'd take together. There would be some rough times in their future, but that's what family was there for - people to see you through the good and the bad. Tragic events had brought them together, all told more than 250 people had lost their lives when the bank had exploded, but not this or any other tragedy could end what they had created.

End.


End file.
